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Library Directors

Library Directors. Profile and Attributes. Critical Issues. Recruitment Education Retention. Leadership ASERL competencies. Recruitment and Retirement. Is there a “graying of the profession”? Demographics 104,600 “credentialed” librarians

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Library Directors

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  1. Library Directors Profile and Attributes

  2. Critical Issues • Recruitment • Education • Retention • Leadership • ASERL competencies

  3. Recruitment and Retirement • Is there a “graying of the profession”? • Demographics • 104,600 “credentialed” librarians • Number rose rapidly in late 20th century and then declined between 2000-2005 • Librarianship is often a second career • Over 40% are over 50 • Median age continues to increase

  4. Recruitment and Retirement

  5. Recruitment and retirement

  6. Recruitment and Retirement • Baby boomer generation created a “bubble” in librarianship- they are nearing retirement age. • However, few indicators of growth in the library sector, currently compounded by recession which may slow growth further. • Projections are for a -1.4% job growth

  7. Recruitment and Retirement • General trends • 2000, 10% over age 60 • 2005, 15% • 2015 project- number will double to 30% • Librarians over 70 will double to 4% from 2005-2015 • Vast majority of this group will retire between 2015 and 2025 • Data taken from ALA Census Report 2009 • ARL Trends • 2000- 2% of ARL directors age 65+ • 2005- 9% • ACRLog, 2009

  8. Current Projections • Number of openings depends on retirement and growth of job field- flat growth means little change. Declines in total employment and delayed retirement means fewer openings • Greatest wave of retirements between 2010-2015 • Shortages of LIS graduates between 2015-2019 • May take 8 years after 2019 to make up losses • Rate of graduation is not keeping pace with retirement • Issue is not just numbers of new grads, but also numbers of qualified professionals to move up in the ranks • ALA, Library retirements: What we can expect, 2004

  9. So… Is there a Graying of the Profession? • Yes, but • Also a flattening of age as number of young professionals grows • Impact?

  10. Directors • Many librarians at AUL level content to stay in their current positions. • There is less inclination for many frontline librarians to assume managerial responsibilities. They probably perceive the directorship as being too demanding of one’s time and energies, and they do not see the extra salary as sufficient motivation to change their mind or life style

  11. ARL directors • From 1948-2002, in a state of “transition,” according to Jim Neal. The turnover of directorships from 1998-2002 was due to: • Retirement (67.7%) • Assuming the directorship of either another ARL library (13.6%) or a non-ARL library (3.4%) • Taking a library position at the same institution (8.5%) • Becoming a faculty member (3.4%) • Death (3.4%) Also: the % of female directors increased from 22.4% (1982) to 52.1% (2002)

  12. If there is a shortage, how fill it? Is the MLIS the only answer? • What degrees are essential? • What degrees do directors have? • Upon entry into the profession, what are effective ways to continue to develop some managerial and leadership attributes?

  13. “Our challenge is clearly about recruitment, but it is also about diversifying our workforce” • John W. Berry, American Libraries (February 2002), p. 7

  14. Academic Librarians Competencies and Expectations

  15. Competencies for Research Libraries (ASRL reading) • Attributes of the successful research librarian include intellectual curiosity, flexibility, adaptability, persistence, and the ability to be enterprising. • Research librarians possess excellent communication skills. They are committed to life-long learning and personal career development. • Five categories (with sub-topics) follow:

  16. The Research Librarian • develops and managers effective services that meet user needs and support the research library’s mission • supports cooperation and collaboration to enhance service • understand the library within the context of higher education (its purpose and goals) and the needs of students, faculty, and researchers • knows the structure, organization, creation, management, dissemination, use, and preservation of information resources, new and existing, in all formats • demonstrates commitment to the values and principles of librarianship

  17. Select attributes • Integrity • Good listening, communication, presentation skills • Develop a shared vision • Innovative • Entrepreneurship • Inspirational motivation • Flexible • Able to manage change • Collaborative • Culturally-sensitive and a record on diversity

  18. Select attributes • Politically savvy • Empowering • Reasonable risk-taker • Team-building

  19. Academic Library Directors Who will lead?

  20. Research about the Next Generation of Managers • American Libraries, May 2004, pages 32-5 • managerial qualities • personal characteristics • areas of knowledge

  21. Managerial Qualities Top Attributes • commitment to service • a results orientation • effective communications with staff • building a shared vision for the library • managing and shaping change • ability to function in a political environment • priority setting Low Attributes • facilitation of group processes • resolving conflict • developing partnerships • creating a system that assessed the library’s value to users • creation of an environment that fosters accountability

  22. Personal Characteristics Top-Rated Characteristics • credibility • even-handedness • self-confidence • integrity • stress mgmt ability • multitasking • focus on change • exercise of good judgment • ability to articulate a direction for the library Low-Rated Characteristics • sense of humor • good interpersonal skills • ability to ask the right question • managing time effectively • team building skills • commitment to explaining decisions

  23. Areas of Knowledge Top-Ranked Areas • scholarly communications • understanding the complex environment in which the library functions • knowledge of financial mgmt • facilities planning • digital libraries • strategic and long-term planning Bottom-Ranked Areas • information-delivery systems • publishing industry • resource sharing • information literacy • teaching and learning theory

  24. Attributes Grouped by Topical Area • External/policy/citizen of university campus • e.g., builds a shared vision for the library • Resource development • e.g., is entrepreneurial • Library culture • e.g., is committed to service • Strategic direction • e.g., nurtures the development of new programs and services/refines existing ones as needed

  25. Key Results Areasmajor responsibilities for a director • Fiscal Management • Responsible for business operations of library • Planning • Maintain planning cycle, develop shared vision • Personnel management and development • Oversee human resources program, ensure opportunities for development

  26. Community involvement and representing library • Increase visibility of library, represent library to external and internal community, maintain productive relationships with consortia and networks, develop and foster partnerships, work collaboratively with the above groups • Fund-raising • Be involved in fund-raising efforts and in exploring alternate funding sources

  27. Program and service design, coordination, evaluation • ensure library materials and services meet the needs of the community • Plan and evaluate services and programs (nurture the development of new programs and services/refine existing ones as needed)

  28. Management of Facilities and Technology • Direct facilities projects and technology (in content of Planning”) • Ensure effective use and replacement of technology • Plan and oversee maintenance and improvement of library facilities and property • Personal and Professional Development • allocate one’s time efficiently • work on multiple tasks simultaneously • respond appropriately and confidently to the demands of work challenges when confronted with change, ambiguity, adversity, etc. • establish career goals that maximize personal productivity and fulfillment ant that build on strengths and minimize weaknesses

  29. Management vs. Leadership • Provides order and consistency • Planning & budgeting • Establish agendas • Set timetables • Allocate resources • Organizing & staffing • Provide structure • Make job placements • Establish rules and procedures • Produces change and Movement • Establishing direction • Create a vision • Clarify big picture • Set strategies • Aligning people • Communicate goals • Seek commitment • Build teams and coalitions

  30. Management vs. Leadership • Controlling & problem solving • Develop incentives • Generate creative solutions • Take corrective action • Unidirectional authority relationship • low emotional involvement, limited options, reactive • Motivating & inspiring • Inspire and energize • Empower subordinates • Satisfy unmet needs • Multidirectional influence relationship • Emotionally engaged and involved, expanded options, shaping ideas

  31. Leadership =Emotional Intelligence • Emotional intelligence is directly linked to effective performance and it is • Managing the mood of the organization

  32. Emotional Intelligence • Self-management 1.Self-awareness 2.Self-regulation 3.Motivation • Managing relationships with others 4.Empathy 5.Social skills

  33. Emotional Intelligence (Key Questions) • What part can be “trained?” • What part comprises life experiences? • What part is genetic predisposition? Inherent in Learned/ can someone improve

  34. Is there a leadership crisis at Director’s Level? • Not yet, but …. • How well can we prepare the next generation? • Where (and how thoroughly gain) attributes? • How much of leadership is someone born with? How much can truly be learned?

  35. Key Readings • Peter Hernon, Ronald R. Powell, and Arthur P. Young, “University Library Directors in the Association of Research Libraries: The Next Generation…:” • Part one: College & Research Libraries 62 (March 2001) • Part two: College & Research Libraries 63 (January 2002 Also The Next Library Leadership: Attributes of Academic and Public Library Directors, by Hernon, Powell, and Young (Libraries Unlimited, 2003); also “Academic Library Directors: What Do They Do?,” College & Research Libraries (November 2004).

  36. Discuss Hernon, P., Powell, R. R., & Young, A. P. (2004, November). Academic library directors: What do they do? College & Research Libraries, 65. --Do you aspire to be a library director? --Does one of those directors highlighted in the article appeal to you? --Comments on external versus internal role of director

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